By Ben Davis
The time has come to finally review the movie I’ve been waiting my whole life to see. You see, Star Wars means the world to me. I grew up watching these films with my family on a daily basis. It was watching the films at my grandmother’s house and enjoying them with her, or playing the many video games, or playing with the action figures and creating my own stories with them, or having lightsaber fights with my brother; Star Wars has shaped a lot of my childhood and the way I enjoy movies. Its themes of hope, redemption, discovery of one’s self, and saving what you love are themes that have carried over into my daily life. I will always be grateful for what Star Wars has meant to me as a person.
The lead up to The Rise of Skywalker has been a tumultuous one. While most people enjoyed The Force Awakens, the same can’t be said for The Last Jedi. While I’m very open about the fact that I adore The Last Jedi, it’s fair to say that a very vocal group of people did not. It left a lot of the hardcore fan base divided and in constant turmoil over certain things that happened in the film (mostly everything involving Luke and Canto Bite). The Rise of Skywalker had the task of not only living up to the expectations of those who loved The Last Jedi, but also getting back the people who weren’t fans of The Last Jedi. Needless to say, I think living up to these expectations, which had built up over time, was an impossible task. I do not envy the mission that the director JJ Abrams and writer Chris Terrio were given. My biggest question going into Rise of Skywalker, then, was: will this stick the landing?
To quote the great Richard E. Grant, “Nothing prepares you for this. I cheerd, I shouted, I fist-pumped the air, I cried, I stood and cheered! It’s absolutely everything that you would hope it would be”. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is an epic final conclusion that enhances not only The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but the entire family saga known as The Skywalker Saga. The Rise of Skywalker brings back our heroes Rey, Finn, and Poe as they embark on a scavenger hunt to stop the ultimate villain, Palpatine, who has mysteriously come back to claim rule over the galaxy. It’s up to our heroes and some help from a few unexpected allies to stop Palpatine’s evil plan before it’s too late.
The Rise of Skywalker and its themes mean so much to me: themes of choosing your own destiny, choosing your own family, the meaning of hope, not letting your past dictate your future, and the power of choices. All these can be applied to everyday life and I love the way this story decides to tell them.
My biggest takeaway from this movie (and trilogy) is the dynamic between Rey and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver are a gift to this trilogy. The chemistry between them is absolutely electric and I’m so thrilled with how this film chose to conclude their dynamic.
Oscar Issacs and John Boyega are dynamite together as Poe and Finn in The Rise of Skywalker. They share a crazy amount of screen time and you can absolutely tell why JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio wanted them to do so for the story. They’re both funny, charming, and hilarious when the film needs that jolt of comedic energy. Their dynamic with Rey is also quite special and adds a lot of heart to the overall feeling of family in the film. Overall, I was very happy with the arcs of Poe and Finn and hopefully this isn’t the last we see of them in the Star Wars universe.
JJ Abrams wasn’t handed an easy task when the unfortunate passing of our beloved princess, Carrie Fisher, happened in real life. This caused a lot of issues because Leia was supposed to feature prominently in The Rise of Skywalker. They decided to use extra footage that wasn’t used for The Force Awakens and re-purpose it to fit The Rise of Skywalker. While I will say it was a bit noticeable, they were still able to pull it off. I really felt as if Carrie Fisher was right there and present throughout all of her scenes. It was a beautiful send off to Princess Leia and Carrie Fisher.
One of the biggest reveals in the marketing was of course the return of Palpatine, who presumably died at the end of Return of The Jedi. It was certainly a question for me how they could bring him back and how they could make it work without it seeming weird or hokey. In my opinion, while it is both weird and hokey, it’s both of these things in all the great ways Star Wars can be. I have a few minor gripes with it, but overall it was a pleasure to see Ian McDiarmid reprise his role as Palpatine.
Again, while I ultimately find this movie to be overwhelmingly entertaining, emotional, and fun, it’s not a perfect movie. The first 20 minutes or so feel like a rock concert. It starts out really, really fast and throws a lot at you without slowing down for you to catch up. Having seen the film multiple times now, it really stands out. The Rise of Skywalker also could have used an additional 10-20 minutes to flesh things out a bit more. I do have a few other minor issues with the film, but they would be considered spoilers and quite frankly are so minor they aren’t worth mentioning.
In conclusion, while Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker has some issues (mostly minor for me), it’s still ultimately and incredibly a satisfying conclusion that had me in tears, cheering, clapping, and feeling hopeful.